60 hours
by writingcreature
Summary: not related to any eppesode Don is called to a psychiatric ward and finds Charlie in a padded cell wearing a straightjacket ... not related to any eppesode COMPLETE


**Published**

01/2008

**Content**

(_not related to any eppesode_) Don is called to a psychiatric ward and finds Charlie in a padded cell wearing a straightjacket…

**Disclaimer**

No, they are not mine (sigh). All of them belong to CBS

**Prolog**

_Where was he? How did he get here? The flickering lights, the many people, the strange music? He felt strangely detached from reality. He stood in the middle of the crowd. People shoved and pressed from all directions. He looked up at the ceiling, colored lights flickered to the rhythm of the music, lasers paved their ways, touching him. Where were the others? He tried desperately to find them, a nearly impossible venture. A glaring ray of light flared up. Was that Don over there? He tried to force his way through the crowd desperately. One could almost believe the people had merged with each other. Charlie shouted, "Don! Don!" Perhaps he had been mistaken. What was the matter with him? He wasn't able to keep a clear head. "I know it's you!" came from the loudspeakers again and again. Oh God, was he close to losing his mind? Dazzling flashes of light flared up once more. "Amita!" She stood over there talking to some strange guy. He could hardly move any further. The sweat was pouring down his body. "I know it's you!" His eyes seemed to play a trick on him, the faces of the people distorted to hideous grimaces. He saw Don there, he was dancing with a red-haired beauty. "Don! Hey!" No reaction. "Am I invisible or what?" shot by his head._

_Finally he made it and stood directly in front of his brother. "Hey Don, could you please tell me what's going on in here?" Instead of an answer Don laughed scornfully into Charlie's face returning his attention to his red-haired companion. Charlie swallowed. "But ..." The music tugged at his nerves, "I know it's you!" He tried to concentrate. His thoughts flickered like the lights around him. Somebody must have poured something into his drink. That could possibly be it, after all, he had not always kept an eye on his glass. He swallowed but the lump in his throat remained. All at once he had the feeling of being completely isolated in the midst of all these people even though Don was dancing only an arm's length away from him. But Don only had eyes for his companion. "This is not real", Charlie mumbled, "This is not real." His heart pounded in his chest as if it wanted to blast through his thorax. He started to hyperventilate. A panic attack rolled over him. He pressed his hands to the ears and started to yell._

_Don stood there struggling for composure, deeply worried. The police had picked up Charlie in a side street off Melrose Avenue two hours ago. He had not been responsive at all, only repeating "I know it's you!" again and again. They therefore took him to the psychiatric ward of the Cedars Sinai Hospital, put him in a straightjacket and shut him away. He was in a padded cell now, banging his head against the wall and wailing from time to time. "Do you know how this could have happened?" Dr. Bowers asked Don. "The only thing he told me was that he is paying a visit to Ultramind Technologies this afternoon. Doing some research for a project", Don replied. Dr. Bowers wrinkled his forehead concerned, "I see Ultramind Technologies." "You know this company?" Don queried. "Let's say your brother is not the only patient who has ended up in here after being invited by them." "And where are the others?" "Two of them died yesterday." Don brushed hand through his hair nervously. "Approximately 72 hours after their visit to Ultramind. Two others are dangerously ill. Whatever they do to them, it drives them crazy. Within a short space of time it causes kind of a short circuit in their brains and the patients die." Don desperately glanced at his watch. All in all he had at most 60 hours left to find whoever had done this to Charlie. He pushed his hand flat against the pane of glass, "Don't give up Charlie, I beg you not to give up!"_

**Chapter 1**

When Don had called Amita to inform her about what had happened to Charlie, she had already been shocked. It had almost torn her heart apart to see him in this state, however. A man who did something like that to another one had to be a beast without scruples and conscience.

She meant to to suffocate when she entered the padded cell. Charlie did not seem to notice her at all. He sat in a corner apathetic. He still wore the straitjacket. Slowly she went over and sat down next to him.

She carefully put her hand on his shoulder. Anxiously he winced and looked at her frightened with his big brown eyes.

"Hello Charlie, it's me Amita. I'm so sorry about what has happened to you. I love you", she said with a suffocated voice.

When a tear ran down her face, Charlie seemed to be fascinated by it. He made an unarticulated sound.

Amita carefully raised her hand and caressed tenderly Charlie's cheek. He snuggled. But Amita could see that it was only the instinct which made him do this.

Nevertheless she smiled bravely and he smiled back without recognizing her, however. He simply imitated her behavior. She bit her lower lip to not sobbing out loud.

The situation escalated when Charlie twisted his eyes suddenly, got foam in front of his mouth and started to seize. Frightened she jumped on her feet and desperately called for help.

A nurse and Dr. Bowers appeared at once. The doctor shoved some gauze between Charlie's teeth so he wouldn't be able to bite his tongue. Amita could do nothing else but to stand aside helplessly.

When the seizure was over they put Charlie on a stretcher and brought him to one of the observation rooms. They took off his straitjacket and strapped his hands at the bedstead. Dr. Bowers sedated him slightly.

She sat next to him and held his cold hand.

"No matter what Charlie, we get through this together. I won't let you down. Do you hear me?!" she whispered, "I love you more than my life, don't leave me alone, please. I couldn't bear it."

She desperately waited for some reaction. Nothing. The door opened and a nurse slipped into the room.

"Miss Ramanujan I unfortunately must ask you to go, we must do some examinations. You are welcome to return later."

Amita caressed Charlie's dark curls and gave him a kiss on the forehead. She took her coat quickly, nodded at the nurse briefly and left the clinic.

The sky had opened its sluices. It rained cats and dogs. Her tears mingled with the raindrops which drummed on her constantly. She was wet to the skin within shortest time.

But she did not feel it. She felt nothing apart from the emptiness which took slowly possession and threatened to swallow her. An icy fist held her heart tightly. She trembled at the whole body when she stood at the roadside to stop a cab. Not an easy thing due to the weather.

A taxi-driver finally had compassion on her, "where do you wanna go?"

Amita told him the address. The taxi-driver tried to start a conversation with her again and again. She was not interested.

Finally they arrived. Amita pushed the money into his hand and then disappeared into her apartment.

She tore off the soaking wet clothing, stepped into the bathroom and turned on the shower. The water was so hot that she looked like a lobster when she was done.

She wrapped herself in a fleecy beach robe, went into the bedroom, crept under the blanket and curled up like an embryo. Her thoughts ran in circles. She tried to dispel the horrifying scenario of the hospital by beautiful memories.

No good idea. The lump in her throat got bigger and bigger and finally it broke out of her. She unrestrainedly started to sob. The tears ran continually over her lovely face, but the pain remained. It had bottled up in her soul like muriatic acid.

She never had felt that lonesome before. Nobody was there to comfort her or take her into the arms. Charlie had proposed for her not long ago and she had asked him for more time. Now she wished she wouldn't have done it.

She wished she could turn back time and make everything different. She buried her face in the cushion. Her shoulders twitched continually. She wanted the pain to stop, but this didn't happen. Her tears ran dry not before she had fallen asleep.

**Chapter ****3**

"Come on Larry, think about it. What exactly has Charlie told you about his appointment at Ultramind Technologies?" Don pressed the friend of his brother.

Larry gnawed at his lower lip and paced around anxiously. "I can't tell you anything else. It was all about his Cognitive Emergence Theory and about some possible research fund."

The door flung open and Milly entered, "it was my entire fault", she said.

"Her eyes look misty", Don thought.

"I have asked him to contact the people there. They have one of the most modern laboratories in the western hemisphere and their employees are specialists in their fields."

"By chance you had no idea that one of their primary tasks is driving people mad?" Don snapped.

He breathed deeply, his hands became fists, "what does Ultramind do exactly and who is your contact?" he asked a little more politely.

Milly swallowed, "among other things and as far as I know they are developing a computer chip that would help long term coma patients finding their way back to reality. The head of the department in charge is Prof. Dr. Pjotr Wisnjenko."

"Bless you", Larry mumbled lost in thoughts.

"Thanks, but this is the name of the guy", Milly replied shaking her head.

"He has come to America during the cold war. He's a genius in brain research and was even nominated for the Nobel Prize once. He was very impressed by Charlie's previous results concerning his Cognitive Emergence Theory."

"So impressed that he has turned my brother into a little blathering baby?" Don hissed.

"I can't imagine this, at the best will. If you want Don, I then call Dr. Quartz. He has supported Charlie at his research", Milly said a little nervous.

"Absolutely, I need any support I can get."

Milly nodded briefly and hurried to her office.

Pondering Larry leant against the chalkboard. He had read something about the Russian Scientist quite a long time ago and he tried desperately to remember it.

In the meantime Don took his mobile and dialed Megan's number.

"Hey Megan, it's me, Don. I'm in urgent need of an appointment with Prof. Pjotr Wisnjenko." He spelled the name.

"He is the head of the brain research department and according to Milly he was the one who had the appointment with Charlie."

"I attend to it right away", she promised and wanted to hang up already.

"Megan!"

"Yes?!"

"I would like you to join me."

"No problem. How's Charlie?" she asked carefully.

"The doctors are still testing him on various drugs and I don't know what all. They are at a loss of what to do next."

"If there is any change let us know, okay? Bye." She hung up.

Don's jaws ground. Slowly he ran out of time.

All he had up til now were names but no results. He hoped things would change fast.

Larry had begun to rummage around in old documents.

"Do you really think this is the right time to tidy your office?" Don growled. A moment later he was sorry about it.

"I'm not tiding. I'm looking for something", Larry mumbled unaffected.

Don scratched his eyebrow and then put a chewing gum into his mouth, so that he did something at least.

"Listen Larry, I am sorry. I behave like a lunatic. But it is all about Charlie and how I can help him and I simply do not know..."

"Eureka!" Larry yelled suddenly.

Don winced.

"Everybody thinks I am a slob. But I know very well where to find what."

He went over to Don and almost stumbled over a heap of files. Don caught him.

"Thank you." Larry said embarrassed.

He excitedly pointed at the magazine in his hand, "here. There is an article on Wisnjenko inside. This man has done very bad things, read here."

"If you know what's written inside, I would really appreciate, if you simply would tell it to me, Larry. I am not in the mood for reading", Don said annoyed.

"Okay, let's see. Wisnjenko has done secret experiments in the order of the Government during his time in Russia. Amnesty International has uncovered, that these have been illegal tests. His "subjects" were partly orphans out of state facilities and homeless people."

"What? And he was allowed to enter the States and to stay here?"

Larry gave an embittered laugh, "one could allegedly prove nothing against him. He has posed himself as political persecuted and he claimed if he would return to Russia ever, they would put him in jail as an opponent of the regime. In addition, our Government had been very interested in his researches and according to rumors he was working as a double agent for the CIA or the NSA."

"Excellent", Don moaned, "this is getting better and better."

Somebody knocked at the door. It was Colby.

"Hi Larry, hi Don. Can we talk outside briefly?"

"Yes, of course. I think I am done in here. Many thanks Larry, you were a great help."

Larry nodded; it seemed as he'd entered "Fleinhardt's universe" once more.

"Um Don, do you think they would let me see Charlie?"

Being already at the door Don turned round, "why not? I call Dr. Bowers if you want. But don't expect too much", he said with a hoarse voice.

"Great Don, great", Larry tried to smile. He didn't really succeed.

Don went with Colby in front of the door. "What's up?"

"I have checked the other people who have been at Ultramind. One of the dead has been a retired neurosurgeon. The other dead one is a woman who was a psychologist and specialized on bipolar disturbances. The two others are a patient of the psychologist and a man who has suffered a stroke not long ago. His daughter told me that Ultramind has offered a promising treatment for free."

"And we have Charlie and his Cognitive Emergence Theory. Everything concerns the brain with a word a gigantic jigsaw puzzle. I hate jigsaw puzzles."

"Megan has just called and said you would pay a visit to Dr. Frankenstein. I like to come along", Colby suggested.

"Good idea, you can take a look around while Megan and I sound out the professor."

They went to the exit. Don's mobile rang again.

"Eppes?"

"Here is Milly! Dr. Quartz arrives tomorrow at 8:15am with the plane from London at LAX. You are welcome to speak with him whenever you want to."

"Thank you Milly, bye", Don replied briefly.

He had hardly put his mobile aside when it rang once more.

It was Megan, "guess what? Prof. Wisnjenko is pleased to meet us tonight. He's pretty busy at the moment."

"I can imagine it vividly. Perhaps he has to cover up a couple of things before we come", Don gave back annoyed, "thanks Megan. Colby and I are already on our way to the office."

He folded the mobile up and looked at Colby, "Dr. Frankenstein tries apparently to be very cooperative. We meet him tonight."

"Do you think the name of his assistant is Igor by chance?" Colby smirked.

**Chapter ****4**

Ultimate Technologies was apparently not only an ultramodern large academic medical facility but the interior was also extremely futuristic and reminiscent of science fiction films. The office of the professor was located in the 32nd floor. As Don and Colby stated, amazed somewhat that his assistant looked nothing at all like Igor, neither crooked teeth nor a humpback. She could on the contrary have passed for a super model. Megan looked in amusement between the two, back and forth as their jaws dropped.

After they had shown their badges she led the three FBI-Agents into a conference room furnished in a very minimalistic way. While Don and Megan chose to sit down, Colby preferred to stand to the side. When Wisnjenko entered, he did not match the cliché of a murdering beast either. But criminals did this quite seldom. He was, with his hair graying at the temples and a thoroughly athletic figure, a tall man around his fifties. He wore no white laboratory coat either but a suit of Hugo Boss.

With a lowered voice he exchanged some words with his secretary in Russian. He then addressed his visitors. His English had a slight Russian accent despite the many years he had spent in America.

"Good evening Lady and Gentlemen", he greeted smiling friendly and took a seat some distance of them.

Don said less friendly, "Good evening Dr. Wisnjenko these here are the Agents Reeves and Colby," he indicated the corresponding person, "and my name is Don Eppes. I am the brother of Prof. Charles Eppes. That man, who recently ..."

Wisnjenko raised his hand stopping Don mid sentence, "I already know who Prof. Eppes is, an extremely intelligent young man with a brilliant theory, which will for certain go down in history."

Colby cleared his throat.

"Ah well, Dr. Wisnjenko would you mind if my colleague is taking a look around your facility?" Don asked.

"Not at all." The Russian pressed a button on the telephone which sat in front of him.

The secretary entered a second later. "Would you please take care of agent Colby and show him the laboratory Anjanka?"

She answered nodding with a bright smile. Colby's mouth was suddenly very dry as he followed her outside.

Wisnjenko turned to Don and Megan, "Again I appreciate your brother. Unfortunately, he has turned down my offer to work for Ultramind. He would be of exceptional value to us anyway."

"My brother is not himself at the moment. Like four other people who paid a visit to Ultramind not long ago. Two of them have already died. The others fight for their lives," Don tensely watched the reaction of his opponent.

Nothing. His face was as neutral as at the beginning of the conversation. Wisnjenko leant forward, put both hands on the table and interlaced the fingers.

"I do not understand what you have in mind. What do you mean by saying your brother is not himself any more and so are the others, which others?"

Megan threw a short knowing glance on Don. She could see how much effort it took him not to freak out and smash everything to bits.

As Don kept on talking he stressed every syllable, "My brother had an appointment with you this morning. Soon afterwards he was picked up off the street completely confused and disoriented."

"Oh, how terrible. What has happened to him?" Wisnjenko asked appalled.

"I thought you can give me the answer. What the hell have you done to him?" Don snapped. His thorax lifted and sank faster.

"I, I don't have a clue where this is leading to", Wisnjenko replied.

Megan had enough, "Other people would get an Oscar for such a performance. Dr. Wisnjenko you are not going to tell us that you have no idea, do you? Five people have paid a visit either to you or your facility." Megan pulled her memo pad out of the coat pocket.

"Dr. Carol Brody, psychologist. Dead. Dr. Alexander Fisher, retired neurosurgeon. Dead. Frank Jacobs, patient of Dr. Brody. He is critically ill fighting for his life, his brain slowly failing. Joseph Wise, a stroke patient who was promised a new revolutionary treatment for free by Ultramind, the same and Prof. Charles Eppes he's also in critical condition."

Wisnjenko jumped up, "For heaven's sake. Are you seriously telling me I'd be involved in this misery? Dr. Brody and Dr. Fisher belonged to our closest consultants. Their knowledge is just of exceptional value as your brother's is, Agent Eppes."

Wisnjenko suddenly seemed to age years. Could one really act in such a way?

"Since you have nothing to do with it then who does?" Don insisted. "This can't be pure chance. To whom else have these people talked? Where in the building have they been?"

"I have talked to them and then they participated a guided tour through the lab without me," Wisnjenko said. He seemed to brood on something.

"Great, Colby's doing the exact same thing at this very moment. I hope he won't return confused or disorientated?" Don whispered into Megan's ear, gallows humor.

On Colby's round with Anjanka she had been called briefly to the office of an employee and had to leave him alone. No problem for him. One of the numerable doors was invitingly open. Colby simply entered. The room was full of electronics and two monitors which were turned off, however. Colby without further ado turned one on. He saw merely an empty room with a bed, a computer and several monitors: a sleep laboratory. He switched the monitor off again.

A list with names lay on the table in front of him. Colby skimmed it and stopped at a name. Mike Hazelwood. This could not be possible. Mike Hazelwood or rather Cpt. Mike Hazelwood had served with him in Afghanistan and had disappeared without a trace during a mission.

"You're not allowed to enter this office", Anjankas voice tore him back into reality.

Colby grabbed the list and pointed at Hazelwood's name, "Is this man a patient or experimental subject or whatever and if so, do you have a photograph of him?"

Anjanka snatched the list from him a little too quickly. "This is strictly confidential. I'm not allowed to tell you. Please, follow me, our tour hasn't ended yet." She put the list back on the table as it was before.

"And you say the patients die due to a short circuit in their brain?" Wisnjenko queried.

"That's what Dr. Bowers has told us," Don answered.

Wisnjenko's intellect worked flat out.

"It sounds as if the synapses were overtaxed and their brains were exposed to a never ending stimulus. Have they been tested for drugs?"

Don nodded, "As far as I know, yes. But the examinations did not bring any result."

"If they don't know what they've to look for it could be very difficult," Wisnjenko said. "What has happened is terrible and harms our reputation. I promise to take care of this immediately. If you have no further questions I'd like to go down to the lab and work."

Don was undecided, should he trust the man? He leant over to Megan, "Do you think we can trust him?"

"He must be a damned good actor, if all of this was show. Charlie is dying, Don. I think we can use every help we can get."

"Okay," Don sighed, "we trust you. Do what's necessary."

They nodded at each other briefly. Don and Megan got up and stepped outside the office where Colby already waited for them. Then as a threesome they took the elevator to the ground level. Colby's gloom spoke volumes.

"What happened to you?" Megan asked concerned.

"This place stinks to high heaven. I got a quick look at the patient's list or whatever you'll call it. A name jumped out at me: Mike Hazelwood. I knew a Cpt. Mike Hazelwood, when I was in Afghanistan. On one of our missions there was an incident, he has been regarded as missing since then."

"It could be a name match," Megan thought.

"That would be another coincidence. What did Charlie say about the accumulation of coincidences?" Don mumbled frustrated.

**Chapter ****5**

They got into the car and Colby started the engine.

"I want a search warrant for the lab" Don said and swallowed, "I don't know what to think about this guy. Even some pets are harmless until they crack up one day and attack their owners."

Megan made herself comfortable on the backseat. "When we get back to the office, I'll get to work on the warrant with the judges at once, I am sure we'll find somebody who cares about this immediately."

Don nodded. "Could we make a stop at the hospital perhaps? I want to see Charlie."

"No problem," Colby answered and accelerated.

The hallways of the psychiatric ward were ghostly empty around this time. A broken neon lamp flickered and threw bizarrely dancing shadows on the wall.

"Kingdom hospital," Megan stated dryly.

Their steps echoed in the silence.

"Compared to this it was quite cozy at Ultramind Technologies," Colby felt his collar and loosened his tie.

A shape suddenly shot around the corner. "I kill you. I kill all of you," the man shrieked hysterically and ran towards them.

Don and Colby stepped protectively ahead of Megan ready of averting a possible attack. But this was not necessary. A nurse showed up quickly, followed closely by two burly orderlies who managed to manhandle the man to the ground as the nurse injected him with the contents of a syringe. The two orderlies carefully lifted the man, taking back along the corridor out of sight. The nurse glanced up at Don, Colby and Megan in sorrow.

"Please accept my apologies, Rodney has outwitted us again and not taken his medicine. Are you all right?"

The agents nodded.

"Where do you want to go by the way? The visiting time is over."

Don pulled out his FBI ID, "Don Eppes and these are Agents Reeves and Colby. I wanted to see my brother. He is in the care of Dr. Bowers."

The nurse nodded and asked them to follow him.

They passed several glazed double doors. In the last section it was pretty busy.

The nurse said, "Dr. Bowers' room is located right over there on the left," and said goodbye.

The doctor sat at his desk and obliviously studied patient files. Don knocked softly.

Bowers raised his head, "ah agent Eppes." He looked past him and curiously glanced at Don's colleagues.

"Agent Reeves and Agent Granger. We've just come from Ultramind. Unfortunately, we didn't get any information which could be helpful for you. The head of the research department, Dr. Wisnjenko, has promised to do anything in his power to support you."

Bowers wrinkled his forehead.

"You trust this guy? He could be the root of all evil."

"Tell me another option", Don replied, "All of us are in the dark at the moment. I intend to reach for every straw which offers itself to me."

"I guess I would do the same." Bowers sighed, took the glasses off the nose and rubbed his tired eyes, "By the way I can report a little mesure of success. Josef Wise is on the mend at the moment. I've changed the medication and it seems to work."

Don nodded appreciating. It was still too early to break out in frenetic jubilation.

"If you could give me Dr. Wisnjenko's phone number, I can contact him and arrange everything necessary, agent Eppes."

"Please Megan give him the data", Don asked her, "Where do I find my brother? I have seen that his room is empty."

"We have transferred him to the observation ward. You step out the door, to the left all along the hallway and then sharply to the right again, you can't miss it." Bowers gave Megan a friendly smile and nodded at Don and Colby briefly.

"I can wait here if you want," Colby suggested.

Don shook the head, "Honestly, I'm glad of some support."

A nurse was at Charlie's bed when they entered. She checked his vital functions and changed the infusion bag.

Don closed the eyes briefly, he had a flashback and for the fraction of a second he saw his mother lying in this bed. When leaving, the nurse stopped next to them.

"He recently had a seizure. Dr. Bowers has increased the dose of the sedative. But nevertheless you should talk to him, he can hear you, I am quite sure about that." She looked at him encouraging and left.

Colby could feel Don's strain and how much effort it took for him to approach the bed. He squeezed Don's shoulder briefly in a helpless gesture when they stood next to Charlie. "Hi Charlie. How are you?" Don's voice failed. He cleared his throat. It was a displeasing and scary situation to see the hands of his brother tied up to a bed. Why Charlie of all people? He was the most inoffensive person among them, the one who usually wouldn't hurt a fly.

Don raised his right hand, making a fist but stopped. Colby threw a worried glimpse at him. He saw tears glinting in the eyes of his friend. What struggle did he have to fight with himself at this very moment? Don would liked best of all have turned round and run away. He knew how to hunt criminals down, how to handle a weapon and how to secure a crime scene. But this here? This was something completely different. He stared at Charlie's face and hoped his brother simply would open the eyes and everything would be well again.

This didn't happen, not this time. He was glad, that Colby stood next to him without saying a word. Don swallowed and resolved the numbness. He slowly leant forward in front of his brother and put a hand on Charlie's shoulder carefully as if he was afraid to hurt him.

"I am sorry, about what has happened to you," he said, with a suffocated voice, "but I promise you, I'll do what I can. You are not alone Charlie, do you hear me? You are not alone. I'll find the bastard, who has done this to you and then God have mercy on him!"

He gently pulled his hand back and straightened up again. He took a slow breath and swallowed his tears. Megan who had had come into the room a couple of minutes ago stood apart and wiped away a tear from the corner of the eye furtively. Colby seemed to her solid as a rock. The thought was somehow calming and a smile swirled about her lips.

Don said in a low voice, "Till later little bro," and stepped outside.

Colby and Megan exchanged worried looks.

"I have never seen Don like that before," Megan confessed.

"Me neither," Colby replied and squeezed Charlie's hand briefly, "See ya buddy," then he left, too.

"See you soon Charlie," Megan said and followed her colleague.

Don leant against the wall in the hallway, supporting himself with a foot and counted the ventilation shafts mounted on the ceiling. He simply had to do something to take his mind off his worries. When Colby and Megan joined him, he ended it abruptly.

He pinched his bridge of the nose between thumb and forefinger and then he looked at them.

"Thank you for coming along."

"Never mind, you're welcome," Megan said, "let's head to the office and care of the search warrant."

**Chapter ****6**

_Charlie stood at the edge of a cliff. The sea roared deeply underneath him. An intense storm was gathering. He watched the concentrated cloud front which approached from the east. The wind got stronger increasingly and tugged at its dark curls and his clothes. Lightning twitched, accompanied by rolling thunder__ at the horizon. His looks roamed to the depths again and again. _

_The waves broke impetuously__ at the sharp-edged ledges which towered over the water all in all an impressive natural spectacle. How had he come here and where was here? The same questions as before in the gigantic hall, packed full with people. He looked around searching for familiar impressions and faces. Nothing. He was alone. _

_His look was again__ magically drawn down below again. Fascinated he watched the foam. He thought he could even feel a couple of water drops on his face. The scenario was changing into a complex mathematical formula. His thoughts became independent and he caught himself as he calculated his own speed of fall from this height. _

_He grinned. No, one did not need to be mathematical genius to know that you wouldn't survive the fall. What if the storm could carry him out to the sea? This assumption was more than absurd. Charlie tried nevertheless to calculate it. He bent, lifted a pebble of the ground and threw it out to sea. He almost lost his balance, lucky him. _

_B__ut what if he simply dropped off the edge now? Nobody was there to stop him. Don for certain would not appear in the very last second to hold him back. How did it feel during the free fall? Were you really free? Would he be afraid of death? Did you actually see your whole life taking place in front of your intellectual eye in a second? _

_He could test the feeling of free falling at a parachute jump. Don had given him this doubtful pleasure as a birthday present last year. That was already awhile ago. Charlie had not made use of this until now. Not, that he would be afraid of it. But he was afraid of it? _

_The__ lightning in the sky increased in frequency, the rolling thunder got louder, the wind changed into a storm. _

_"__Charlie finally you'd start doing crazy things," said an inner voice. _

_Ok__ay there was definitely something about it. His life proceeded far too orderly. Well, unless he was working on a case with Don. Even then it could happen, that everything did not necessarily turn out the way he had calculated it with his formulae and algorithms. _

_He just had to think about the incident at the bank robbery, their second case__, or the suicide of the brilliant student of architecture which turned out to be a suicide although he doubted that etc. _

_"Yes, Charlie, if one considers it properly, you have __screwed up many things in your life. If Don and you didn't have guardian angels doing double shifts, both of you would already be six feet under," his inner voice observed. "You should know what you have to do by now." _

_He did a small step. His right shoe top peeked beyond the edge of the cliff. _

_"Come__ on, this is quite simple." The voice spurred him on, "just another single step." _

_He __already lifted the left foot and before he could think about it, he was hit and torn in the depths by the squall. He desperately paddled with his arms. _

_There was nothing, neither that his life did not pass like a movie nor did he feel weightless. What he felt, was fear, panic-stricken fear. The rocky edges approached with horrifying speed then the impact. It got dark around him. Then silence. _

"I know it's you!"

"No, not again," Charlie moaned inwardly.

He slowly opened the eyes and gasped for air. He lay on the ground next to the couch in the living room.

Alan was in the kitchen preparing the dinner when he heard a yell and a thud next-door. Immediately he dropped everything and hurried into the living room. His first look fell on the couch, but it was empty. Alan bent and looked under the table.

He grinned mischievously "Charlie? What are you doing down there?"

Charlie pulled himself together quickly and tore out the earphones of the iPod which was playing "I know it's you" by The Chrystal Method on infinite loop.

"What does it look like?" Charlie hissed, "I'm pursuing investigations for Don."

Alan nodded grinning from ear to ear "Of course, on our living room carpet. I understand. If I had known that the FBI is interested in the carpet, I would have before vacuumed."

Charlie turned his back on him demonstratively and acted busy. He closed his notebook and threw it on the leather armchair. Man, this was embarrassingly. In addition, his crazy dream still bothered him.

The door opened and Don entered. "Good evening everybody." He sniffed the air with anticipation.

"That smells damned good!"

"Hello Donnie" Alan said and then turned to Charlie, "if you are done acting big then you can sit down at the dining room table" he disappeared into the kitchen.

Don looked to and fro between his father and Charlie, "who is acting big?"

"Forget it", Charlie mumbled and while bustling around his curls, he then took a seat at the dining table.

Don shook the head, "if you say so," and followed him.

**Chapter ****7**

While Don and Alan were busy with the dishes, Charlie went up to his room. His mood had not changed during dinner either. While Don and Alan were talking about Alan's latest construction project he had preferred to be silent. Charlie went to the chest of drawers by the window and opened the top drawer. He took a little black velvet casket out and opened it cautiously. A platinum ring with a diamond on it sparkled in it. Not even this sight elicited a smile from him.

On the contrary, the ring had been lying in the drawer for 3 weeks now instead of shining on Amitas ring finger. He still hasn't had the heart to propose to her. He thoughtfully gnawed at his upper lip. What was the problem? Why couldn't he simply ask her? Why was he shirking? Perhaps the suitable moment had not come yet? Perhaps because of Amita still had not moved in with him or perhaps plain and simple because he was afraid of being rejected?

As much as he loved dealing with mathematical formulae and algorithms, he was so incompetent when it was all about finding the proper words.

"Shall I give you a helping hand by sorting your socks?" he heard Don saying from behind.

Frightened Charlie dropped the little box into the drawer and slammed it. Far too quickly he turned round and tried a smile. It did not become more than a wry grin anyway.

"Thank you bro, but I'm already done."

"May I come in?" Don asked worried about the well being of his little brother.

"Yes, of course." Charlie took the heap of washed and unpressed laundry off the bed and dropped it on his desk.

Don shook smiling the head, "shouldn't these be ironed and in the cupboard already? It won't get unwrinkled just by shoving it from one corner to the other."

Charlie shrugged his shoulders, not replying.

"What is wrong with you?" Don queried, "You were really quiet during dinner? Dad told me about your small mishap with the couch," he grinned, "too bad I didn't see it. I would have joined you rolling on the floor laughing."

"Typical, dad can't keep anything to himself" Charlie mumbled and pulled a face.

"What were you investigating?" Don wanted to know.

Charlie twitched shoulders again. "Nothing specific, only this and that. Actually I don't know exactly myself."

Don could see that his questions triggered discomfort with his brother.

"Something is bothering you Charlie. Come on, spit it out."

Charlie swallowed and looked desperately at the ceiling. Slowly he started to talk.

"I had this extremely crazy dream of Prof. Wisnjenko." Silence. "I was in his institute. He wanted to sift through some results of my Cognitive Emergence Theory with me." Silence. "Soon afterwards I was picked up mumbling senseless things in a side street. Then I was taken to a psychiatric ward and put into a straitjacket." Silence. "It somehow was all about illegal experiments on people and other weird stuff and before me there were other people in the institute too and one after the other they died. Later, they had strapped me to a bed and you and Colby and Megan and Amita were there."

Don raised his hand, "Wow, I think, I would be extremely disturbed at that point. You haven't by chance guzzled those chili-beans again, have you?"

Charlie shook the head. "No. I think I somehow couldn't cope with the fact that we could not save the professor. I mean Hazelwood had given us sixty hours. I had worked on the calculations with Larry and Anita feverishly to find him. We have chased Hazelwood's movement patterns by the high-performance computer of the university again and again. And it has not sufficed at the end anyway."

Charlie glanced at Don's bandaged left forearm disturbed. "All of you could have died. Look at your hand! Two men from the SWAT team are dead, two others seriously wounded!"

He was close to breaking out in tears.

Don got up and put calming a hand on Charlie's shoulder, "I have told you after the shoot-out and I'll tell it to you again: it's not your fault, absolutely not, did you get that! Megan thought Hazelwood never intended to let the professor live anyway."

Charlie raised his head, his eyes looked misty. "Then this ultimatum, the 60 hours? I don't get it."

"Hazelwood wanted to force his rules upon us with that. He demonstrated to us his power over life and death. Colby said he would not like to know at all what had happened to his former comrade during the long captivity in Afghanistan. However, it must have been terrible things, because it changed his personality. He became an incalculable risk for himself and his fellow man."

Charlie gave an embittered laugh, "You say it: incalculable. My calculations are based on facts and data. Larry has pointed out that man always entails risks which cannot be calculated. I remember the bank robbery only too well. I was far too narcissistic in my work then. It cost the life of one of your people." Charlie's look fell on Don's bandage again. He pulled his arm back after that.

"What if you just one time, you go out there and don't come back any more due to my calculations? I don't want this Don, I don't want this any more ", Charlie's said his voice croaking, he desperately turned the back towards his older brother.

Don raised his hand and wanted to touch him, but he made up his mind, "Charlie my profession brings a high potential of risk. This has absolutely nothing to do with you or your formulae. You must believe me. On the contrary, you already helped us on many occasions. Some things wouldn't have been possible at all without your help."

"But I've been totally off the mark this time", Charlie protested, "this time I have underestimated Hazelwood. I have underestimated the local conditions."

"Stop that bullshit," Don snapped at him, "this is ridiculous! I had the operations control. Also without your information I would not have made it, that's for sure. Without your help still more people probably would have died two days ago."

Charlie made a step towards the window and looked out. "Thanks for finding me not guilty," he said with a very low voice, "but maybe I have reached my limits. Perhaps I should remember my initial activities at CalSci again."

It took a great effort from Don not to grab Charlie's shoulders and shake him and yell at him. "You're not serious? Are you? Together, we are a well tuned team. I ... I need you Charlie. Okay, we sometimes disagree but we did this as kids, too and that's good. Sometimes we are like fire and ice. Sometimes you mumble incomprehensible things, sometimes I behave like a complete idiot and sometimes I could really smack your face. Damn it Charlie, these are the things that make me feel connected to you and what you're doing and that's what makes a good partner. I need someone I can rely on. You can't always be right. No one can. Don't you think?"

Silence. Charlie continued to stare out of the window. Don felt frazzled. He made a helpless gesture. His voice sounded hoarse.

"I … I am sorry. It's none of my business neither to put pressure on you nor to tell you what to do. If you wanna talk, you know where to find me. Down below in front of the TV. I for one need a beer now." He turned round to walk away.

"Don!" Charlie said all of a sudden, "it's my turn to be sorry. I think I'd meant to talk earlier to you. I shouldn't have waited until these things were piling up. You wanna stay a bit longer? But your welcome to get us some beer. But there's something I want to show you and to tell you about. I haven't shown it to anybody else; you'd be the first to know."

He opened the drawer and took out the little velvet casket while Don was already half way down yelling, "I'll be back in a minute bro."

**Chapter ****8**

Charlie sat on his bed looking at the contents of the little box, fascinated, when Don took a seat next to him with two bottles of beer in his hand.

"Here you are. But don't drink it in one gulp," Don grinned.

They said cheers, took a sip and then put the bottles back on the bedside table.

"Tell me what you think?" Charlie turned the box so that Don could glance at the ring. His brother nodded appreciating.

"Jesus it's fantastic. I'm quite touched", Don sniffled theatrically, "first you're talking about divorce and now you propose to me? If you weren't a man, I would fall around at your feet without thinking."

Charlie swallowed, "Don, please. This is serious. Could you stop fooling around?"

"You actually are not going to ..."

"Don!!"

"Calm down Charlie, the ring is beautiful and I think on Amita's finger it will shine even more. When are you going to ask her?"

His little brother twisted his face as if he had nicked his favorite toy from him, "That is the problem, I have no idea. The ring has lain in the drawer for three weeks now."

"What? I can't believe it. What are you waiting for?! For another ice age?" Don was honestly aghast.

"You have absolutely no clue how hard it is to find the right moment and now after this incident with the professor ..."

Don took a sip from the bottle, "Charlie you know what you're doing? You desperately search for excuses not to do it. Two weeks ago you knew nothing about Wisnjenko and there were no cases for which I could have used your help."

"I know", Charlie mumbled resigned, "I quite simply have no idea how to handle it."

"What about a romantic dinner as a twosome in a bloody expensive French restaurant?" Don suggested.

"That is not my style. In addition, as I told you, you know that such dinners between Amita and me ending up in a talk exclusively about our jobs." Charlie gave a heartbreaking sigh.

"I also hate those restaurants. Simply invite her here, you have advantage of being at home, and if she sees the ring, then she'll be thinking about all sorts of things but definitely not about work." Don said.

Charlie did not seem to be too enthusiastic at this suggestion either. He stared at the ring as if it was a hostile spy. Could he be beginning to regret the whole thing? It almost seemed that way to him. He loved Amita, there was no doubt about it but was he really ready to alter their level of relationship? Was she?

"What will I do if she says no? She doesn't even want to move in with me." He looked like a beaten dog.

Don had sympathy for his brother, "You know perhaps you should talk about this with dad. Asking me for an advice in matters of the heart is as helpful as asking a vegan about the advantages of a T-Bone-steak."

"Could it be that there's a spell on us Eppes' man concerning women?" Charlie asked.

"Are you thinking about dad and Milly?" Don smirked.

Charlie shook his head, "You're talking rubbish. Both of them behave like magnets. Somehow they push off but at the same time feel attracted to each other.

Don almost cracked up at Charlie's statement, "Your comparison of rocks little bro, honestly." He wiped his mouth with the back of the hand and pushed the other bottle into Charlie's hand, "here, make a hearty draught."

Charlie stared skeptically at the label of the bottle as if he could find the solution for his "problem" there. But he had to admit he felt relieved now that he had told somebody about his plan.

"You know I would feel silly asking dad for advice," Charlie confessed.

"Asking for advice concerning what?"

Amita suddenly stood in front of them. Charlie was so shocked that he flipped the black casket behind him nonchalantly.

"Hello Amita", he gave her his broadest grin.

"Hi", Don stopped short and sucked at his bottle of beer embarrassed.

"Uh, was I disturbing you? If you want I can go and come back later? Is there a new case?"

Don got up, "actually I was about to leave, wasn't I Charlie?"

His little brother panicked visibly, "but ..."

Don winked at him and pushed himself past Amita.

"You can't do this" Don heard Charlie's strained voice as he headed down the stairs.

Amita was confused unable to make head or tail of the conversation between the brothers. What the hell was going on in here? She shrugged her shoulders and sat down next to Charlie. He looked gorgeous even if he wore an expression of helplessness. She stroked her hand tenderly over his cheek and gave him a spontaneous kiss on the mouth which he hesitantly returned.

She eyed him worried, "Everything's okay Charlie? I guess what happened to the professor has upset you very much, isn't that right?"

He nodded absent-minded and finally looked up. He swallowed, just about to say something, but she anticipated him.

"What did you throw over your shoulder before?"

Caught, uh!

He gave her his most innocent look "Nothing."

He could see in her eyes that she didn't believe it.

"Really", he tried to convince her.

But he couldn't withstand her searching look. She turned round and made institutions to have a closer look at the floor behind the bed.

"Please", he held her arm tight.

"Charlie what's going on?" her lovely eyes darkened dangerously.

His head was about to explode. The blood banged at his temples.

"Amita please, it's nothing," he tried it once more.

"Okay, if you say so," she said a little pissed.

"I am glad that you are here", his voice disobeyed him.

"If you want prove it to me tell me why you are acting so strange?"

Silence. Her look roamed again to the end of the bed. She made him crazy just sitting there, staring at him. He felt painfully reminded of his dream.

"You know I had an extremely crazy dream this afternoon", he tried to break the ice; "it was all about the professor. In my dream he made illegal experiments with people and ..."

"Charlie, I know you, if you start babbling like a waterfall, you have either a brilliant idea or a really guilty conscience. I guess the latter this time."

Did this have to be? Did Amita have to read in him like in an open book? He closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath.

"Okay, looks like this is meant to be."

He got up, walked around the bed and lifted the little box. He turned his back upon Amita and looked whether everything was still in place. It was. Amita watched her boyfriend curiously. Last time she had seen him so agitated was when Don had told him about the death of the professor.

Charlie turned back to face her. He seemed undecided. Was this the right moment? Here in his room, between bunches of laundry, a bottle of beer, in the middle of his bed? Was there a rule when it was the right moment? No, he swallowed. He took heart and got on his knees in front of Amita. Probably this was the most stupid thing he had ever done in his life, shot into his head. He opened up the box behind his back.

"Charlie, what ..." She asked with misty eyes.

He drew his hand forward and brought the box with its valuable content to Amita's eye-level.

"Amita Ramanujan do you want to be my wife and spent the rest of your life with me til death do us part?" Wow, he didn't even stutter.

First she just stared at the ring and then at Charlie. She couldn't hold back the tide any longer. Drenched in tears she wrapped her arms around his neck and said, "Yes, Charlie I will."

Before she could say another word, he sat down next to her and sealed her lips with a promising kiss.

**THE END**

fanfic-heaven. – Numb3rs – 60 hoursPage 25


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